Prime Minister David Cameron: The government is building a nation of homeowners
Prime Minister David Cameron will today say that the government is committed to "building a nation of homeowners", in a speech he will give to lay bare the progress the government has made in delivering manifesto pledges.
Cameron will argue that he is "marking commitments off" and not heading in a "new direction", in a speech marking a decade at the helm of the Conservative party.
The Prime Minister will announce £8m for councils to prepare land for new starter homes, while also allowing people who either part own or part rent properties through shared ownership schemes to "trade up".
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"So many people are attracted to the idea [of shared home ownership], especially those who thought they never had a chance of owning a home," he will say.
"But because it has been too heavily restricted, many people have missed out. We have had local councils dictating who is eligible, based on everything from salary to profession to where the buyer comes from."
"From April next year, that will make 175,000 more people eligible for home ownership. It means some people will be able to buy a house, for example, in Yorkshire, with a deposit of just £1,400," Cameron will add.
Current restrictions that prevent people from using shared ownership on multiple occasions will be removed, letting people move to bigger properties when their circumstances change.
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The move, combined with measures announced in the Autumn Statement, will enable people to apply for shared ownership as long as they earn less than £80,000 or £90,000 in London, the Prime Minister will add.
The Prime Minister will also mark seven months since winning the General Election by drawing attention to the expansion of free childcare and creation of millions of new apprenticeships.
The speech is an attempt by Cameron to state that the government's priorities will not be shifted by recent events, including tackling the Islamic State in Syria, which has dominated the political agenda over the past two weeks.